Shipyard Colony (Belize)
Shipyard Colony, Belize, was founded in April 1958 by Old Colony Mennonites from Chihuahua and Durango States in Mexico. Clearing the forest was begun immediately, but by hand only. Thirty years later the ax had been replaced by the bulldozer and the chainsaw, and grain was harvested with a combine instead of a scythe. Sorghum, corn and rice have been primary grain crops. By the late 1980s several thousand broiler hens were sold weekly in surrounding towns, as were tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, sweet peppers, and other vegetables. Livestock was also a major source of income. Several sawmills were built and provided necessary lumber for houses and furniture. Carpenters and blacksmiths, several retail stores, and two dentists were also part of the settlement. The 1987 the colony's population was 1,966, including children.
Bibliography
Kraybill, Paul N., ed. Mennonite World Handbook. Lombard, IL: Mennonite World Conference, 1978: 278.
Mennonite Weekly Review (14 March 1985): 2.
| Author(s) | David K. Friesen |
|---|---|
| John B. Loewen | |
| Date Published | 1989 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Friesen, David K. and John B. Loewen. "Shipyard Colony (Belize)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1989. Web. 19 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Shipyard_Colony_(Belize)&oldid=77764.
APA style
Friesen, David K. and John B. Loewen. (1989). Shipyard Colony (Belize). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Shipyard_Colony_(Belize)&oldid=77764.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 820. All rights reserved.
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